Benin’s ruling parties pick finance minister Wadagni as presidential candidate

Benin’s ruling coalition has nominated Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni to contest the 2026 presidential election, positioning a man seen as a key architect of its economic policies to pursue the administration’s current reform agenda if elected.

President Patrice Talon has confirmed he will step down after two terms, a rare move in the West and Central African region where democratic norms are increasingly under pressure.

Two ruling parties, the Republican Bloc and the Progressive Union for Renewal, endorsed Wadagni, citing his experience and alignment with Talon’s development agenda. They urged activists and coalition members to support their choice, as statements showed on Sunday.

Wadagni, a former Deloitte executive, joined the government in 2016 and, as minister of economy and finance, led reforms to strengthen public finances and fund infrastructure.

“He thus appears to be one of the best placed to continue and deepen the development actions initiated since 2016,” the Republican Bloc party’s statement said.

The Progressive Union for Renewal party said that, despite political stability and economic dynamism, Benin still faced many challenges, such as youth employment and purchasing power.

Political analyst Fidele Ayena told Reuters the selection reflects strong internal consensus and avoids the need for primaries, crediting Talon’s personal endorsement.

The presidents of other West and Central African countries plan to run for new terms this year, seeking to extend mandates beyond what was legally possible when they first took office.

Alassane Ouattara runs for a fourth term in the Ivory Coast, Paul Biya for an eighth term in Cameroon, and Faustin-Archange Touadera for a third term in the Central African Republic.

These bids, enabled by constitutional revisions and legal loopholes, have revived anxiety about the state of democracy in the region, already damaged by a string of eight coups that unfolded between 2020 and 2023.

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